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ربيع الثاني 29, 1434 | North America: Iowa

Iowa Energy provides spark for Spread the Word Day

By Cory Weaver

Energy Head Coach Bruce Wilson poses for a picture with Special Olympics Iowa athlete Ben Smith in the team's locker room prior to tipoff.

There wasn’t much breathing room in the Iowa Energy’s locker room prior to tip-off Sunday afternoon but it wasn’t full of tall basketball players. For 100 Special Olympics Iowa (SOIA) athletes, the game was all about them.
The Iowa Energy partnered with Special Olympics Iowa on Sunday, March 3 to celebrate and support Spread the Word to End the Word day, a global initiative to eliminate the use of the words “retard” and “retarded.” For SOIA athlete Brian Rolek, the day meant a lot to him.
"It made me really happy to go down on the floor and be part of the tunnel for the good basketball team and going back and seeing the locker room," said Rolek.
The SOIA athletes toured the locker room, got a pregame talk from Energy Head Coach and SOIA Board Member Bruce Wilson and even got to be on the court for the pregame fan tunnel.
“It was a fun-filled day for everyone,” Wilson said. "We have a community and it's always good to see those friends."

About Cory Weaver: Cory Weaver is a communications intern with Special Olympics Iowa and Iowa State University student. The senior in Spanish and journalism has interned with the Kansas City Chiefs and brings a strong writing background to the Special Olympics Iowa staff.